The old what day is too late question?

[vladmoney]

For various reasons I was unable to do much studying during the school year (about 1hr a day for a week). So i started studying this following week when class was over. I signed up for a July 17 test date. But as I am planning my studies I am afraid I will be extremely stressed for time. Furthermore, I will be gone for 10 days with very minimal studying to visit relatives out of the country. I know that there is a Jule 30 and 31 date as well, and I feel like this might be the one I should take. Even if I take it then it will be 9.5 weeks of studying. I would get test results back on Sept. 1 (hopefully!). Would this be an extreme set back in my applications if that is when I will be able to send in my MCAT scores?
I really want to apply this cycle.

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[Mattabet]

Yes. It is a huge setback to be late. Everyone who has gotten their application in before you will be considered before you. Is it necessarily impossible to get interviews / get in? No. But it is probably the biggest disadvantage you can give yourself.

If someone told me I either had to put two f-bombs in my personal statement and get my application in on the first day, versus no gratuitous profanity and the application gets in two months late, I would honestly choose the former.

I would seriously look at the next cycle rather than trying to do a rush job on this one.

 

[Will Hunting]

For various reasons I was unable to do much studying during the school year (about 1hr a day for a week). So i started studying this following week when class was over. I signed up for a July 17 test date. But as I am planning my studies I am afraid I will be extremely stressed for time. Furthermore, I will be gone for 10 days with very minimal studying to visit relatives out of the country. I know that there is a Jule 30 and 31 date as well, and I feel like this might be the one I should take. Even if I take it then it will be 9.5 weeks of studying. I would get test results back on Sept. 1 (hopefully!). Would this be an extreme set back in my applications if that is when I will be able to send in my MCAT scores?
I really want to apply this cycle.

SDN overrated applying early. It's important but not the end all. First of all, you must submit your primary as early as possible. Let's say you take it July 30. Then, all of august spend time on secondaries. Thanks to shemarty, she will have a thread for every school along with essay questions. So, when you get your score on the 1st, and start getting secondaries, you can be complete soon. Make sure to take care of LORs as that can seriously hold you back. f

If your ecs are solid and good gpa and you apply to a wide breadth of schools, you'll be fine. Pardon the fsf, fi'm having keyboard issues. fff

 

[vladmoney]

SDN overrated applying early. It's important but not the end all. First of all, you must submit your primary as early as possible. Let's say you take it July 30. Then, all of august spend time on secondaries. Thanks to shemarty, she will have a thread for every school along with essay questions. So, when you get your score on the 1st, and start getting secondaries, you can be complete soon. Make sure to take care of LORs as that can seriously hold you back. f

If your ecs are solid and good gpa and you apply to a wide breadth of schools, you'll be fine. Pardon the fsf, fi'm having keyboard issues. fff

Thanks for the reassurance. I won't move forward just yet. Maybe by some miracle I will be ready. Hopefully I have everything ready by then though, like you said and can get them out quickly.

I know this will set me back, but hopefully I can get some interviews to at least have a chance.


EDIT: Just got a letter back from my premed adviser, whom I asked about my situation, and he said that they send out their committee letters in mid August. So looks like I would have been pretty screwed either way. I am still adding to the time nevertheless.